{"id":10755,"date":"2015-12-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-12-22T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hearandplay.com\/main\/?p=10755"},"modified":"2024-10-15T04:56:30","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T12:56:30","slug":"drop-2-vs-b-voicing-techniques-2-5-1-chord-progressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearplaymain.wpenginepowered.com\/drop-2-vs-b-voicing-techniques-2-5-1-chord-progressions\/","title":{"rendered":"“Drop 2” vs “A & B” Voicing Techniques in 2-5-1 Chord Progressions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2-5-1 progression is arguably the most important chord progression in tonal music. <\/p>\n

In certain subgenres of jazz and gospel music, you can hardly listen to the chorus of a song without hearing the 2-5-1 chord progression. The 2-5-1 progression is the strongest pull<\/em> to the tonic chord (chord 1 of the key you’re in) involving two scale degrees that are a fifth\/fourth apart (2nd and 5th degrees).<\/p>\n

Having covered A-B-A and B-A-B voice leading techniques for approaching the 2-5-1 progression in a previous post<\/a>, let’s take it to the next level by applying a new voicing technique over the 2-5-1 progression.<\/p>\n

Drop 2 Voicing<\/h2>\n

Voicing is the practice of regarding the individual notes of a chord as voices<\/em>. Pursuant to this consideration, voicing involves the rearrangement of the notes of a chord to move smoothly to the closest possible options. We’ve covered voice leading principles for triads<\/a> so we don’t need to rehearse the rules and guides again. However, I’ll reiterate where possible. <\/p>\n

There are several voicing techniques that can be used to rearrange the notes of a chord. This post is dedicated to the understanding of the drop 2 voicing technique.
\n<\/p>\n

There are four voices in the chord above. If the voices are ordered from the highest to the lowest, we have:<\/p>\n

B – Soprano – 1st Voice<\/p>\n

G – Alto – 2nd Voice<\/p>\n

E – Tenor – 3rd Voice<\/p>\n

C – Bass – 4th Voice<\/p>\n

The drop 2 voicing technique features the octave transposition<\/a> of the 2nd voice (alto voice). The 2nd voice in the Cmaj7 chord is G. Transposing G an octave lower than its position will yield a new rearrangement:
\n<\/p>\n

This rearrangement is called the drop 2 voicing because of the octave transposition of the 2nd voice.<\/p>\n

Drop 2 Finally Meets the A and B Voicing Technique<\/em><\/h2>\n

If you are not familiar with what the A and B voicing technique is, you may need to pause for a while and read it here<\/a><\/strong> before you continue. In this segment, let’s look at the outcome of the drop 2 and A & B voicing techniques.<\/p>\n

Dmin7 – Chord 2 <\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is the first chord in a 2-5-1 chord progression. Below are the A & B voicings of chord 2 and their respective drop 2 voicings.<\/p>\n

A<\/strong> Voicing of Dmin7
\n<\/p>\n

A<\/strong> Voicing vs Drop 2 Voicing of Dmin7
\n<\/p>\n

B<\/strong> Voicing of Dmin7
\n<\/p>\n

B<\/strong> Voicing vs Drop 2 voicing of Dmin7
\n<\/p>\n

Gdom7 – Chord 5<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Below are the A & B voicings of chord 5 and their respective drop 2 voicings.<\/p>\n

A<\/strong> Voicing of Gdom7
\n<\/p>\n

A<\/strong> Voicing vs Drop 2 voicing of Gdom7
\n<\/p>\n

B<\/strong> Voicing of Gdom7
\n<\/p>\n

B<\/strong> Voicing vs Drop 2 voicing of Gdom7
\n<\/p>\n

Cmaj7 – Chord 1<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This is the harmonic destination of the 2-5-1 chord progression. Below are the A & B voicings of chord 1 and their respective drop 2 voicings.<\/p>\n

A<\/strong> Voicing of Cmaj7
\n<\/p>\n

A<\/strong> Voicing vs Drop 2 voicing of Cmaj7
\n<\/p>\n

B<\/strong> Voicing of Cmaj7
\n<\/p>\n

B<\/strong> Voicing vs Drop 2 voicing of Cmaj7
\n<\/p>\n

Application of Drop 2 Voicing in an A-B-A 2-5-1 Progression<\/h2>\n

An A-B-A 2-5-1 progression can be broken down to: A<\/strong> voicing of chord 2, B<\/strong> voicing of chord 5, and A<\/strong> voicing of chord 1. Below is a typical A-B-A 2-5-1 progression:<\/p>\n

Chord 2<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Chord 5<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Chord 1<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

This 2-5-1 will look different if voiced with the drop 2 voicing technique:<\/p>\n

Chord 2<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Chord 5<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Chord 1<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This should give you an idea of the smoothness derived either by the retention of common voices or the movement to the closest options possible.<\/p>\n

Chord 2 – Chord 5 : <\/strong><\/p>\n